To commemorate our 10-year wedding anniversary—yikes, we are old!—Scott and I booked a weekend trip to Marble Falls, the tiny yet bustling town where we got married in September 2015. (Technically, we tied the knot 15 minutes southeast of the charming tourist location in an even smaller hill country community called Spicewood, but Marble Falls is where our rehearsal dinner was hosted + all of the preparations took place.)
Even though we were about six months out from our actual anniversary, we knew we’d be better off celebrating before our little comes into the picture in July. That’s how this spring retreat also became our third babymoon, and honestly, it was exactly what this exhausted couple needed.
A few short weeks before we were scheduled to leave, Ayla and I both came down with a gnarly stomach bug. While Ayla fared okay—praise God for young and robust immune systems!—it hit my pregnant self much harder than I expected. I was throwing up for 12 hours straight, couldn’t keep any liquids down, and was surviving on a 500-calorie-a-day diet once the vomiting and diarrhea had subsided. (Sorry, TMI.) Poor Scott had to carry the team until I was fully recovered; even after the bug was out of my system, I had next to no energy for what seemed like forever.
As unfortunate as the incident was, the timing of our illness couldn’t have been luckier. My parents were planning to drive up on the 27th of February, so I spent the two weeks in between scrubbing the house squeaky clean. I’d be damned if anyone else came down with Norovirus on my watch, and thankfully, no one did. (Answered prayers! Had we gotten sick just a week later, we would’ve had to cancel our trip.)
As you can imagine, we were in desperate need of some R&R by the time that blessed Friday rolled around. And relaxation was exactly what was in store! Because of our phenomenal glamping experience back in 2023, we opted to do something similar and prioritize our exposure to the great outdoors. A quick Google search sent me to The Missing Hotel’s Instagram, and I was instantly hooked by the dreamy visuals of forest-immersed villas. From there, I booked one of their Wes Anderson-inspired Luna domes that boasted a large deck, quaint hot tub, and glorious nature backdrop.
We arrived too late in the evening to see much of anything, but the next morning, it was bliss at first sight. My nervous system must have been fried, because I joked with Scott while watching the sun rise over the trees that I was tempted to stay in bed and just enjoy our picturesque view all day long. Had we stocked our mini fridge with provisions for the day, I probably wouldn’t have moved from that very spot.
But, eventually, we sauntered out the door and into town for our stomachs’ sake. Scott and I make very compatible travel partners, mostly because the #1 thing we both love to do while exploring a place is eat and drink. Give us decent food, and we’ll have the time of our lives anywhere, especially if the eating is punctuated by good conversation—something we have yet to run out of after 12 years together. (We had a lot of worthy topics reserved for our trip, too. Toddlers, it turns out, rarely allow for adult communication to go down in their presence. #IYKYK)
Marble Falls was no different: All we did in between meals was walk, sit, and talk. There was a Market Day set up of street vendors happening downtown, which provided a more interesting stroll—and led me to a one-of-a-kind hand-engraved Hocus Pocus water bottle that Scott convinced me to buy as a souvenir. All the while, the weather was immaculate: a crisp 55 degrees in the morning, up to 75 by the afternoon.
Around 4 p.m., we headed back to our outdoor oasis to do a little hiking on the beautiful property, rest for a bit (which, for me, meant cozying up with a book), and wash up for a nice surf and turf dinner overlooking Lake LBJ. The sunset that accompanied our last meal created the most romantic scene, and we drove back to our hill country home feeling satisfied in more ways than one.
Before turning in for a restful slumber, a soak in the hot tub was in order; we snacked on chocolate covered berries while savoring the toasty water beneath a blanket of stars until our eyelids grew heavy and the promise of fresh linen sheets lured us inside.
Our last morning was slower on purpose. I sipped my fresh pour-over coffee in bed and read my Bible passage for the day while Scott stepped out to get some fresh air. Even though we were sad to leave the unparalleled peace and comfort of our wilderness sanctuary, we felt refreshed and well-equipped to resume real life—our cups overflowing, and our connection to one another stronger than it’d been in months.
The cherry on top of our reminiscent weekend was the last-minute detour we made to Killeen on the way home to attend a Mass presided by Fr. Bryan, Scott’s parish priest and close friend from A&M who celebrated our wedding ceremony. A full-circle way to end our anniversary getaway, if you ask me.
When in Marble Falls, don’t skip:
Missing Hotel, for the most tranquil lodging. I would 100% stay here again!
Bluebonnet Cafe, for a classic diner-style breakfast and their world-famous pies.
Numinous Coffee Roasters, for a delicious cappuccino.
Darci’s Deli, for scratch-made sandwiches, soups, and salads. (The sister of the owner also did our wedding cake, so we had to pay them a visit!)
Bay View Restaurant & Bar, for a 5-star dinner at sunset.
I also have to mention two places we stopped on the way in: Austin’s Texas Keeper Cider, where we split a flight of tart ciders on their lovely patio, and Rockin’ Rolls food truck for the BEST sourdough pizza rolls known to man.